coal tar

noun

1. a thick, black, viscid liquid formed during the distillation of coal, that upon further distillation yields compounds, as benzene, anthracene, and phenol, from which are derived a large number of dyes, drugs, and other synthetic compounds, and that yields a final residuum coal-tar pitch, which is used chiefly in making pavements.

coal tar

noun

1. a black tar, produced by the distillation of bituminous coal, that can be further distilled to yield benzene, toluene, xylene, anthracene, phenol, etc

coal tar

1. A thick, sticky, black liquid obtained through the destructive distillation (heating in the absence of air) of coal. It is used as a source of many organic compounds, such as benzene, naphthalene, and phenols, which are used in dyes, drugs, and other compounds.

Other Word Forms

• coal-tar adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of coal tar¹

First recorded in 1775–85